19th Annual Taste Of Vail - Day 3 (Photo : Getty Images)
Using the classic Italian dishes that he grew up with in Naples, chef Stefano Nicodemo has been satisfying the taste buds of Shenzhen residents by preparing dishes that fuse Italian ingredients with a touch of Chinese.
He described his dishes as “light yet richly defined.” But more than the unforgettable taste, Nicodemo ensures that the food is not just a feast for the stomach but also for the eyes by modifying, arranging, processing and decorating the dishes to enhance its visual appeal to the diner.
To ensure that his kitchen masterpieces are not only filling but also healthy, he uses fresh ingredients of high quality which Nicodemo cooks in low-temperature to keep its inherent nutritional value, reported China Daily.
One such dish is the tuna tartare, made of baby veggies, capers, flaky fish, cooked egg yolk and white, and caviar, topped by olive oil. Another one is Risotto Milanese, made up of veal osso buco, which the Italian chef cooked for three hours in an over with a temperature of 140 degrees. Once the meat was tender, Nicodemo added bone marrow and herbs. The topping was made up of thyme, lemon zest and rosemary. The rice had flavors of garlic, onion and parmesan.
Along with these mouth-watering dishes, Nicodemo recommends wine, 85 percent of which is Italian. With Chinese now used to drinking red wine, the chef noticed fine dining guests of the Ritz-Carlton Shenzhen’s Paletto restaurant often order Bordeaux. He uses the opportunity to suggest other Italian vintages.
As an award-winning Italian restaurant, the Naples chef stressed, “It’s important to have a wine selection that reflects our food and our heritage.” The hotel is located on 116 Fuhua San Road, Futian District.
Out of the 532 reviews of the hotel in Trip Advisor, 357 reviewers have given Ritz-Carlton Shenzhen “excellent” ratings, 148 gave it “average” and 21 “average. Paletto got 30 “excellent” ratings out of 38.
Lucia O., in her review, wrote that the restaurant’s lobster soup, Parmesan risotto and wagyu beef was delicious, with the beef described as “incredible.” She pointed out, “this quality of meat is near to impossible to find in China.”
